A material spreading system may include a tote and a spreader attachable to a loading machine. The spreader may include a frame, an inlet, a lift arm, and a discharge mechanism configured to selectively discharge the material onto the ground. The tote may include a container having a plurality of walls enclosing an internal volume for storing a material. An opening may be formed in one of the plurality of walls and communicate with the internal volume. The tote may additionally include a lift arm engaging surface configured to engage the lift arm and permit the lift arm to manipulate the tote. The tote may also include a closure member at least partially covering the opening and configured to selectively permit transfer of the material from the container to the inlet of the spreader in response to the material exerting a force on the closure member.

A seed carrier includes a frame and a main hopper mounted to the frame. The seed carrier also includes a support arm extending upwardly in relation to the frame, the support arm having a first end and a second end. The seed conveyor also includes a conveyor coupled to the support arm, the conveyor having an intake end and a discharge end and being pivotable relative to the support arm between a self-loading position and an unloading position. The conveyor also includes a main conveyor having a lower end and an upper end and an intake conveyor pivotally connected to the lower end of the main conveyor. The conveyor also includes a lift-assist assembly coupled between the main conveyor and the intake conveyor, the lift-assist assembly applying a force with an upward component to the intake conveyor at a position spaced from the pivot, whereby the weight of the intake conveyor is counterbalanced so as to render the intake conveyor manually pivotable. The conveyor also includes a latch mechanism coupled to at least one of the intake conveyor and the main conveyor.

A grain handling conveyor includes an axle tilt device that is coupled to a frame supporting a grain handling conveyor and to an axle thereof. The axle tilt device is capable of raising or lowering one end of the axle with respect to the frame and to permit the tilting the frame and causing movement of the discharge end of the conveyor for accurate conveying of bulk material into a silo.

A method is proposed for calculation of optimized filling amounts for containers of a machine for application of agricultural material, in which a path plan is created and the constant or site-specific variable amount of material to be applied along the paths for each container provided in the path plan for the individual containers is added up for calculation and output of the amounts to be filled in each case.

In addition, an optimized path plan can be calculated for the machine in terms of a balancing of the amounts of material to be removed from the individual containers.

An air cart for distributing air entrained particulate material from a chamber or tank to a plurality of distribution lines for application to an agricultural field has a tank refilling feature utilizing air flow from the cart distribution system or from a dedicated pneumatic source. The cart conveying system air flow is diverted and passed through an assembly containing multiple venturis which also receives particulate material from a supply source. The air entrained material from the source is conveyed to and gently deposited in the cart tank. Exhaust air from the tank may be directed back into the cart conveying system or vented through an air diffuser located beneath the cart. Exhaust air which is directed back to the cart conveying system may return to a location closely adjacent that from which it was originally diverted.

A system to meter multiple agricultural products according to an independently prescribed rate for each in a variable-ratio blend of the agricultural products from a single opener in a plurality of such systems and openers across an applicator such as a drill. Bulk storage compartments associated with the applicator deliver multiple agricultural products to metering assemblies mounted in clusters or pods across the applicator. The agricultural products are fed from the metering assemblies, via a flow re-director, into a manifold, and then into a corresponding single opener having conduits to transport the agricultural product into the soil. Controllers independently regulate metering by the metering assemblies. The flow re-director and manifold provide blending of combinations of the agricultural products for each opener according to a field prescription.

SELF-PROPELLED, MULTI-PURPOSE TRANSFER DEVICE, as described in the report and in the attached illustrations, is an equipment used in general agriculture and livestock activities to transfer products to another suitable equipment or place, containing the additional function of spreading products in the soil, therefore called self-propelled. The equipment presents as a differential the fact that it brings together multiple functions such as the possibility of transferring and spreading products in the field or in other applications, such as in sandpits.

A seed carrier includes a main hopper coupled with a frame via leg members. The main hopper has a discharge. A base plate is coupled with the frame. A support arm is rotatably coupled with the base plate at a first end. A belt driven conveyor having a conveyor hopper at a first end and a discharge at a second end is rotatably coupled with a second end of said support arm at an approximate center of gravity thereof. A latch mechanism is provided for detachably coupling the first end of the conveyor with the first end of the support arm such that the conveyor hopper is position below the main hopper discharge. When the conveyor is uncoupled from the first end of the support arm, the conveyor can rotate to a loading position wherein the discharge thereof can be positioned over the main hopper.

An agricultural product delivery system and method is provided. The agricultural product delivery system includes a feeder for receiving particulate materials and a storage tank for holding particulate materials. A control system controls a filling system for providing particulate materials to the feeder. The control system is configured to communicate with a filling system to substantially maintain an alignment between the filling system and the feeder.

An air cart system includes a container assembly mounted on wheels and including a primary product container and an air distribution network including a product conduit that delivers a first agricultural product and a second agricultural product to an agricultural implement. The air cart system includes a first metering device to meter the first agricultural product from the primary product container to the product conduit. A fill hopper mounts on a side of the container assembly, and a secondary product container mounts beneath a portion of the primary product container. The secondary product container receives the second agricultural product from the fill hopper, which receives the second agricultural product at an opening and conveys the second agricultural product to the secondary product container. The air cart system includes a second metering device to meter the second agricultural product from the secondary product container to the product conduit.